Conductor and track wire connector for signal systems



Nov. 11, 1941. o. s. FLATH 2,262,226 CONDUCTOR AND TRACK WIRE CONNECTORFOR SIGNAL SYSTEMS Filed Feb. 21, 1938 Patented Nov. 11, l1941 UNITEDSTATE-s PATENT .oFF-ICE CONDUCTOR AND TRACK W IREV CONNECTOR FOR VSIGNALSYSTEMS Claims.

My invention relates more especially to connectors whereby the currentconducting cables or conductors, which are generally disposed intrunking along the right-of-way, are mechanically and electricallyconnected with the wires which 4lead to and are suitably secured to therails of the track for use in railway signalling. The current conductingcable at the location of the track wires generally is brought upwardlyin a suitable standard or riser of any suitable material, usuallyconsisting of a metallic conduit or pipe.

The invention has for its object the provision of connectors whereby theconductor and track wires will be rmly held in electrical relationagainst accidental rupture and the electrical relation maintained underthe adverse weather conditions encountered, While at the same timeproviding connectors which enable installation and maintenance to bereadily accomplished.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a structurewherein the wire clamping elements are all threaded on a singleupstanding threaded pin or bolt arranged in non-rotating intimaterelation with the base portions of the connectors so as to withstand thestrains encountered during the tight screwing down of the nut membersthrough the use of wrenches; the intimate relation being effected eitherby constituting the bolt portion an integral part of theyoke or baseportion of the connectors or by a partial embedment of the bolt in theyoke and base portion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire endreceiving andsolder receiving element adapted to be readily applied to the upstandingpin or bolt member of the conductors and also adapted to function as awire clamping element.

The foregoing objects or purposes, as well as the advantages, of myinvention will allbe readily comprehended from the detailed descriptionrof the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the base plate member, employed in Figure3.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View of a cable outlet or riser with myimproved connector means.

Figure 3 is a similar view illustrating a modi- Iied assembly.

Figure 4 is avplanview ofthe structures shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the combination solder holding andwire clamping element employed in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

The invention, in its various forms, for purposes of exemplication'hasbeen shown applied to metallic conduits Vor risers, the upper endswhereof are indicated at v20; it will, however, be understood that myimproved connectors in the forms disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 areadapted for use on a horizontally disposed trunking without need ofalteration.

Inthe embodiment vshown in Figures 2 and 4, the connector comprises themain plate or base member 31 of suitable dimensions and preferably ofapproximate circular form with laterally disposed ears or lobes 44 atdiametrically opposite points (see Figure 4); the lobes being providedwith suitable openings to receive the fastening elements or bolts 23which are adapted in this instance-to screw into tapped holes formed inthe registering ears of a riser encircling collar 24, which in turn maybe secured to the upright or riser by set-bolts 2 5. The bolts 23 arepreferably insulated from the plate or base member 31 by suitableinsulating washers.

The plate or base member 31 is centrally provided on its upper face withan enlargement or boss 38 and an integral upstanding threaded pinportion 39.

`The basemember 31 has an opening for passage of the cable wire 32 andthe enlargement or boss 38 on oppositesides of the pin portion 39(threaded `to receive the nut 34) is preferably provided with arcuategrooves to receive the track wires 3,0, 30, which are clamped inrplaceby my improved combination solder holding and wire clamping member 53 ofthe construction shown in Figure 5 consisting. of the solder holdingportion 54 Whose opposite side walls are apertured as shown at 55 forpassage of the track wires therethrough and the bottom of this solderholding portion is also apertured to register with the aperture in thebase member 31 for passage of the unsheathed portion ofthe conductorwire 32. One Wall of the solder holding portion at its upper end isprovided with the laterally disposed plate portion 56 recessed on itslower face at 51 to fit over the track wires 30 while the upper'face isprovided with the recess 58 for reception of the upper end of the cablewire 32 and this portion is apertured for passage of the pin 39therethrough. After the wires have been inserted in place the chamberedportion 54 is then lled with a solder which may contain a. suitable uxwhereby the respective wires are not only additionally held in place butfurther electrical relation between the Wires provided. The solderholding portion 54 of the element is of predetermined depth to permit awire clamping relation to be effected between the portion 56 of element53 and the boss 38, as shown in Figure 2, and with the solder holdingportion 54 arranged flush with one side of the boss 38. It is apparentthat element 53 will be held against any rotative movement when the nut34 is screwed down on the pin 39 with the washers 33 therebeneath, thusrelieving the wires of any twisting strains.

In Figure 3 I disclose a structure involving a base plate 4| adapted tobe secured by suitable bolts (not shown because the sectional view istaken transversely between the points where the bolts would appear) tothe collar 24 which in turn is secured to riser 20; the base plate 4| onits upper face being provided with a socket 42, as shown in Figure 1, toreceive a part of the head of bolt 43. The remainder of the head of thebolt is located in a suitable angular socket formed in the yoke member41 whose upper face is provided with transverse grooves on oppositesides of the bolt to receive the track Wires 3D; these track wires, inturn, are clamped down in place by the plate portion 56 of the element53 shown in detail in Figure with its upper face recessed to receive theunsheathedr end of conductor wire 32 which extends through a suitableopening in base plate 4| and through an opening in the bottom of thesolder box portion 54 of element T in a plane beneath that of the plateportion are 53, with the end of the conductor wire encircled about thebolt in the recess 58 of the element. The conductor wire is then rigidlyclamped in lplace by means of the washers 33 and nut 34 as previouslydescribed. After the wires have been put into place as just described,the pocket 54 is then lled with a suitable solder. The apertured sidewall of element 53 is arranged flush with a side of yoke member 41 thuspreventing any rotative movement of element 53'.

Where element 53 is used with a structure as shown in Figure 3, namelywhere yoke member 41 is employed, I also prefer to provide the baseplate 4| with suitable upstanding ribs, as shown at 59, 59, see Figure1, spaced apart sufliciently t0 receive the body portion of the yokemember therebetween. With this construction, namely where a yoke memberis secured to the base plate by means of bolts or'other fastening means,the rotative strains that may be encountered by the yoke member will notbe transmitted through the yoke member 41 to its fastening means orbolts but will be transmitted directly to the base plate 4|. f

I have disclosed a number of embodiments of the invention which arebelieved best adapted to present day signalling systems as employed bythe railroad systems, but certain modifications may be possible without,however, departing from the spirit of my invention defined by theappended claims.

What I Claim is:

1. In a connector of the character described, a conducting elementprovided at one end with a plate portion having a fastening memberreceiving opening and a conductor wire receiving surface on its upperface and track wire receiving surfaces on its lower face,lthe other endof said element being provided with a solder receiving cavity, thebottom whereof has a conductor wire receiving hole while the side wallof the cavity,

coincident with the track wire receiving surfaces on the bottom of theplate portion, is provided with a pair of track wire receiving holes.

2. A connector of the character described comprising, in combinationwith a main member secured to the outlet for the conductor wire of asignalling'system and provided on its top with a non-circular boss andan upstanding threaded portion; a conducting member apertured at one endfor reception of said upstanding threaded portion while the other end isformed to provide a solder receiving cavity which extends beneath thehorizontal plane of the apertured end with a side wall of the cavity inabutting relation with the boss on the main member to prevent rotationof said conducting member, the bottom of said cavity having an openingfor passage of the cable-wire while the side wall of the cavity hasopenings for receiving the ends of the track wires.

3. In a connector of the character described, a conducting memberprovided with a box-like formation at one end and with a plate portionat the other end extending laterally from the upper part of saidbox-like formation, said plate portion being apertured to receive afastening bolt, the box-like formation constituting a solder receivingcavity, the bottom of the cavity having a conductor wire receiving hole,while its sides provided with track wire receiving holes.

4. A connector of the character described comprising, in combinationwith a base member adapted to be secured at the outlet for the conductorwire of a signalling system and provided with a boss on its uppersurface having a vertical side face and track wire receiving surfaces onits upper face; conducting means consisting of a single piece memberhaving a plate portion at one end adapted to extend across said boss andprovided with a fastening bolt receiving opening and wire receivinggrooves on its lower face coincident with the wire receiving surfaces ofthe boss for clamping the track wires in place, while the top of theplate portion is provided with a conductor wire receiving surface, theother end of said single piece member being of boxlike formationdepending beneath the plane of the plate portion and provided with avertical sidewall adapted to cooperate with the vertical side face ofsaid boss to prevent rotative movement of the member, said box-like endconstituting a solder-holding cavity whose bottom and side walls areprovided with wire receiving openings.

5. In a connector of the character described, a single piece memberhaving a solder receiving cavity at one end provided with conductor andtrack wire receiving openings and a plate portion disposed laterallyfrom the upper part of one side wall of said cavity, said plate portionlhaving conductor and track wire receiving recesses on its oppositefaces and a fastening bolt receiving opening disposed through the recesson the upper face and between the wire receiving recesses on the lowerface thereof, the wire receiving recesses on the lower face beingsubstantially in alignment with the track wire receiving openings in thewall of sai-d cavity.

OTTO S. FLA'I'H.

